Please don't read this post expecting an answer. I was excited when I learned that people were going to start boycotting this island famous for it's homophobic beatings and murders, homophobic legislature and just general overall homophobic culture. But then I learned that many gays and lesbians in Jamaica asked for an end to the boycotts because this tactic though designed to hurt the homophobic would also hurt the LGBT individuals on the island we would like to protect.
It's a Catch 22. Hurting those that cause harm will also hurt those we want to keep from danger. But what do you do when billboards like the one pictured above [this photo was recently taken in Jamaica] encourage violence towards gays and lesbians. In case you're unaware, a battyman is Jamaican slang for a gay man. So this advertisement is for a machete one could use to kill a homosexual. WTF?
1 comment:
As being from Jamaican descent, I really do appreciate how you approach this issue. With a legacy like colonialism that is left behind in places like Jamaica, i feel that many gay rights activists groups in the U.S. and UK, tend to disregard. I do believe actions such as avoiding Jamaican products tend to make the situation worse. Honestly, I believe that a lot of their homophobia stems from legacies of colonialism. That is they believe these ideas are often imposed upon them by "developed nations." That is why feel the more gay rights activists groups outside of jamaica protest jamaican views..the higher the backlash. Hence, supporting the agenda of gay-rights activists groups in Jamaica, I honestly feel are the best way to go about it. Just had to add my two cents..
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